EDMONTON -- Alberta's premier is delivering news from the North Pole: Santa's elves and reindeer are immune to COVID-19.
Mr. and Mrs. Claus are not, however, and are wearing masks and following the advice of Alberta's top doctor, Deena Hinshaw, Santa wrote in a letter to Jason Kenney on Sunday.
Santa reassured the premier that despite "everything being so different this year," he'd still be sliding presents down the chimneys of all Albertans.
"You can count on that."
The letter mirrored messaging delivered by the Alberta government in recent weeks as it has struggled to gain the upper hand over the pandemic. A week earlier, the province announced its tightest restrictions yet, banning most activity amongst people outside of a household and further capacity limits on businesses.
Officials have warned Albertans need to prepare for a holiday season unlike any other.
Santa's letter to Kenney reads, "I know a lot of things have changed. You aren't seeing your friends as much as you used to. Your sports teams and other activities have been cancelled. And you probably miss grandma and grandpa a lot. But none of this will stop the team at the North Pole from making sure all the good boys and girls in Alberta have a wonderful Christmas."
Before he signed off, Santa wrote, "Please cherish this Christmas with your closest family members.
"And kids, don't forget to listen to your parents."
He asked they leave hand sanitizer out with the cookies this year.
"Santa is absolutely right," Kenney commented, adding that Christmas was about spending time with loved ones, even virtually.
The video is the second released by Kenney's government within a week about coronavirus; on Friday, Alberta put online "Covid Loves Parties" in which a germy-faced character moves around a party, high-fiving, dancing and eating communal food as he goes.
The province reported 22 deaths and 1,717 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday.
